1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which can add an additional image, such as a water mark, to an image to be processed and output those images, and specifically relates to a technology that enables an additional image to be added only when the image is outputted during a certain period in which the additional image has to be added.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in order to prevent confidential information printed on recording paper from leaking or being reproduced without permission, the “Confidential” or “No reproduction” mark is printed as an overlay print. Also, to prevent improper reproduction on the machine side, there is an image forming apparatus which detects whether a specific barcode is attached to a document to be reproduced, and prohibits the reproduction of the document when the barcode is attached to the document (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[Patent Document 1] Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 8-65438
Some confidential information has a confidentiality expiration date. For example, a product catalog is confidential before the product is released, but, after the product has been on the market, it becomes public information. Therefore, it is necessary to print the “Confidential” mark on such printed matter before the confidentiality time expires. However, it is not necessary to add the “Confidential” mark after the confidentiality time has expired.
However, if print data is initially created with the “Confidential” mark attached, when the print data is used for printing after the confidentiality time has expired, the “Confidential” mark is still printed. Therefore, it is necessary to create another print data that does not have the “Confidential” mark, and also to judge which print data, with or without the mark, should be used when printing is to be done based on the expiration date of the confidentiality.
Furthermore, there is a problem in that when a document with the “Confidential” mark attached is reproduced by a copier after the confidentiality expiration date has passed, the reproduced document still has the unnecessary “Confidential” mark.
Besides the above, in some cases, a pamphlet for a newly released car has only descriptions and no photos of the car until the day the car is released, and once the car has been released, the pamphlet has both the descriptions and photos. Moreover, there is a need for printing a different text image according to the period when the image is outputted. For example, in a movie hand bill, the text image of “Coming soon” may be printed at the beginning, “Coming (on a certain date)” may be printed when the date of release approaches, and “Now showing” may be printed after the movie has been released.
To respond to such demand, in the conventional technology, a plurality of print data each of which adds a different additional image, such as a “Confidential” mark, photo, or characters, to an original image, must be individually created, and properly used according to when the data is printed. This is a problem that involves a considerable amount of time and effort for the management.